Rakshak Shah, NHS Member, Athlete, AP student
Hi, my name is Rakshak Shah, and I am a Junior that is in NHS, Wrestling, AP classes, and much more. Balancing many activities, especially sports, with rigorous academics is incredibly challenging. A lot of students are at a loss as to how to do this, but these steps may help you maintain a level head while being involved in athletics.
1.Manage your time
Time management is the most important skill a teen athlete has. Unlike adults, who have set schedules, we are much more fluid in our day-to-day because the amount of work we have each day varies. To use your time effectively, use a planner to plan out your day. Keep in mind that you need to write down times that you have practice, homework, and time to recover.
2. Put down the phone
I never realized how much time I spent on my phone until I checked my weekly usage statistics. I found that I spend up to 7 hours a day on my phone during the average school week. Electronic devices make it hard to concentrate on school work. Try setting screen time limits on your phone. My personal favorite is to just leave it in another room until I finish the work.
3.Recover
Anyone who lifts weights will tell you that lifting seven days a week every week is a terrible idea. The same idea applies to your mind. It’s important to make sure that you have time to eat, sleep, and relax. Maybe instead of playing that extra match on Xbox, it is time to go to sleep. Maybe instead of hanging out with friends all weekend, you should take a personal health day once a week or so. Without rest, your muscles will get tired and your brain will not function as well. That stress actually increases levels of cortisol in your body which inhibits muscle growth and even may make it harder to do your work.
4.Ask for Help
Sometimes, even if you are trying your hardest, grades can slip or performance can suffer. Teachers, coaches, and parents are there to help you. If you have a huge history report due next week that you don’t think you’ll have time to finish, talk to your coach about skipping a day of practice. Alternatively, if you have a huge competition the night before a big deadline, ask your teacher for an extension on your work. Or if you’re struggling with homework after practice and it starts to get frustrating, ask a parent or someone that can help you for assistance. Most teachers, parents, and coaches are very sympathetic to the troubles of a student athlete- many of them were also student athletes at some point.
5Conclusion
All in all, balancing athletics and school is difficult at times, but it can be done. You should never have to completely sacrifice athletics for an education or the other way around. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you should be able to keep your grades up and be a dominant athlete. Good luck!
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